1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a peripheral device for use with solar cells, and more particularly, to a solar cell junction box that includes conductive terminals to control the power output of the solar cell.
2. Description of Related Art
In recent years, non-renewable energy sources have been in short supply throughout the world, with many industries regarding solar cells as a priority. Current trends in energy savings are looking to the integration of solar cell with building materials and glass, such as the replacement of rooftop materials with solar cells, attaching solar cells to the external walls of buildings and to cover windows, skylights and. Unfortunately, a single solar cell can generate only a small electric current, so multiple cells are often connected via a junction box in parallel or series, to boost the current. Thin film solar cells of prior arts were difficult to use, due to the complex design of junction boxes with conductive terminals, solar cell input/output cables, numerous flat diode chips, and solar cell electrodes. As a result, from the wide range of solar cells available on the market, only thin film solar cells can fit into the junction boxes.
Solar cells and the junction boxes are constantly exposed to severe outdoor conditions, and factors such as temperature change can lead to diodes and conducting wires loosening in junction boxes, affecting the stability of the power output of the solar cells. In prior arts, solar cell installation was inefficient and inconvenient, as technicians had to solder all external connections between electrodes and conductive terminals with welding torches. This has created a need for a new junction box design to take advantage of other solar cell systems.